UngeheuerLich
Legend
The problem with 3.0 prestige classes were, that the DM usually could not use it as a world building tool, because of feat prerequisites. Especially since many of those requisite feats were those that noone in their right mond took (3.0 toughness).I think 3E's prestige class was a good idea that went wrong. In the original core, it was more presented as a world building tool for DMs. Create a prestige class to represent something special in your world, and then present it to the players at some point in the campaign as an optional path they can multiclass into. In that capacity, it was a good evolution of D&D design, IMO. Unfortunately (or fortunately for the CharOp advocates, I suppose), it didn't take long for future books to turn it into a purely player facing building block, and a source of significant power creep in the edition. And of course, as you pointed out, it also went from being an option to the option that directed players' other character building choices.
I think if I was to redesign the concept, it would be closer to 2E's kits, but more consistently designed, and something a player can take at levels other than level 1. Make it something of a rider the DM can optionally present, and the player can optionally accept. Doesn't take up space in the main progression system like prestige classes did, and doesn't lock you into anything for future progression like subclasses do.
Combine that with my other post, and increase the rate at which feats are gained (in my 10 level setup, I'd go so far as giving one per level), and you'd have a progression system where players constantly have progression choices to make, and the DM has tools to give avenues for the player to do so in a way that fits into their campaign world.
So tge right move for 3.5 had been to just remove those prerequisites and allow the DM more freedom.
But 3.5 was indeed some kind of cash crab. WotC figured out that players want to buy more options, not DMs. So they sold them that.
And for 4e they went all in and made everything player facing (including magic items).
5e went a big backwards (which is good!)
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